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Improved speed and sensitivity of electron spin resonance imaging, which measures the chemical state of organs, could lend to earlier and more precise detection of fatal diseases, according to a team of researchers in the U.K. The scientists hope the improved ERI device, which they expect to complete in two or three years, will allow for meaningful measurements of smaller samples.

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Scientists testing a treatment using pancreas cell transplants to treat patients with Type 1 diabetes reported mixed results from their study. Some diabetics were able to quit taking daily insulin shots after the transplants, but 86% of the participants had to return to injections within two years of receiving the transplants.

Standards are essential in health information technology to allow for the easy exchange of information among medical personnel, said Robert Kolodner, interim national coordinator of health information, at a recent health IT summit. Kolodner added that while health IT strides have been made in recent years, the soaring cost of health insurance has taken a "toll on our nation and economy."

The FDA says electrocardiograms from more than 200,000 patients in prescription drug trials will be put into a database so researchers can search for possible dangerous cardiac side effects. Officials say the study also may tell researchers if some patients are susceptible to having heart problems from drugs already on the market.

In a pilot program rewarding hospitals that provide the best care, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to pay out $8.85 million in bonuses this year to the top-performing hospitals and health care providers. The pay-for-performance model is gaining acceptance in the U.S., but some health care experts fear the system could only widen the gap between top-performing and lower-tier hospitals.

Physician members of the Heart Rhythm Society have created a plan to better track and report issues with medical devices. Included in their suggestions: Increasing the amount of time and money the FDA spends on post-approval oversight, implementing wireless remote monitoring systems to track device performance, and using "safety alert" or "safety advisory" instead of "recall."